Canada Ping!
Posted on 09/08/2012 4:37:26 AM PDT by rickmichaels
Not only will the vodka in Vladivostok be ice cold today, so will the already stirred but now shaken diplomatic relations between Canada and Russia.
Straight up, it's a potent cocktail.
Not many countries support the whacked-out regime of Iran more than Russia and, with Foreign Minister John Baird's closure of the Canadian Embassy in Tehran yesterday and the booting out of Iran's diplomats in Ottawa, ultra-frigidity will likely be the tone of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit underway in Vladivostok, Russia.
This represents the strongest condemnation of Iran since the imposition of international sanctions.
It's a declaration of cold war.
Unless the agenda is rewritten, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to have one-on-ones with both China's Hu Jintao and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Canada's actions against Iran cannot be ignored.
With Baird also in Vladivostok, his announcement to pull our diplomats out of Iran, and kick their out of Ottawa, was perfectly timed.
In the end, he framed Canada's decision around protecting the safety of our diplomats, the final straw being that Iran's thugs cannot be trusted to respect any international conventions.
But with that now in play, the overall issue of Iran will have to be addressed by the two powerhouses who have been using their UN vetoes to assist Iran in supporting the tyranny of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
Harper has them in a corner, and they will not be able to let it lie, not with the press from 21 Asia-Pacific countries asking for their reaction.
For Harper and Baird, Canada had to demonstrate its disdain for Iran with more than rhetoric, and to condemn its increasing military assistance to Syria, its anti-Israel hatred and its support for terrorism with the kind of action that would capture world headlines.
Mission accomplished.
This comes, coincidentally, at the same time U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers confirmed he was at the meeting in August in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "at wits' end," blew up at U.S.-Israeli ambassador Daniel Shapiro over Barack Obama's lack of clarity on Iran's nuclear program.
Well, Canada has now made itself perfectly clear on all the evils regarding Iran -- and in Putin's own backyard.
All very ballsy.
But necessary.
Way to go Canada!!!!
I like our Prime Minister. Thank you Mr. Harper.
This move is another excellent example of what a small power can do. Of course, it helps that we don't need anything produced by Iran or any other mid eastern nation. An independent, moral foreign policy is much easier when you are energy independent.
Carney, Harper, Baird et al are way to smart to say anything, but they are praying for a Romney/Ryan victory.
Great move by the Canadian government,but I'd encourage them to *publicly* focus first on the *really* important stuff!
One action has many possible effects. Since Mammoud has publicly played his hand in this election by blasting Romney and endorsing Obama, I'm sure Harper's decision did not come to being by one act alone. Consider how this plays to the American public, let alone the Canadian. Harper's policies are a reflection of what has been needed in this country for a very long time. As the article states, this was perfectly timed to make the largest possible footprint on the entire world. Political genius I dare say with brass gonads.
Ten years ago I never would have uttered the words that we needed to emulate anything that Canada was doing. Looks like their crapola meter has far fewer notches in the scale than ours. Now Harper just needs to let Quebec have their friggin independence and make it totally 100%, just sever all ties immediately and let them see just how great their socialist utopia works for them.
No doubt they want a Romney/Ryan win.
The Keystone pipeline will become reality....and fast!
Bump to Canada for seeing the clear writing on the wall and getting their citizens out before the evil begins.
Wish the US was half as smart.
He’d make a great Sec of State-who cares if he’s Canadian?
Stephen Harper has the moral courage that Barry the Kenyan Caliph sorely lacks. The PM did the right thing, and sets an example for other world “leaders” to follow.
Canada Ping!
How much of the American public will even be aware of this? 5%? 10%? Don’t expect the MSM to play up a story that makes Obama look weak by comparison. If only Canada had an atheist former Muslim as Prime Minister, maybe they’d see it the way Obama does.
Bump!
For the here and now, you are right but plant the seed and water it and watch it grow. A mighty dam can be breached by one simple and small charge placed at the right place. This move with the media there will be that small charge and won't be able to help themselves because of the explosive nature of it, no pun intended.
“Carney, Harper, Baird et al are way to smart to say anything, but they are praying for a Romney/Ryan victory.”
Harper has Romney on speed dial, already.
Just waiting for the election results.
Trust me. :)
Very true. But if Assad is replaced by a regime of hard-line Sunnis it will be a major problem for Iran.
In the recent Quebec election 66% of the popular vote went to parties other than the Parti Quebecois. In other words, the party that trumpets independence was sent a very loud message by Quebecers, and that message is “You’ve been sitting on the pot for too long. Pee or get off.” 2/3rds of the population is not interested in separation.
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